1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cleaning devices, and more particularly to such a device which is usable in an electrostatographic apparatus for effectively and safely removing residual toner particles from an image-bearing surface therein.
2. Description Relative to the Prior Art
Electrostatographic process apparatus, which for example produce or reproduce toned images on selected substrates by employing electrostatic charges and toner particles on an insulated photoconductive surface, typically operate through a sequence of currently well known steps. These steps include (1) charging of the insulated photoconductive surface with electrostatic charges, (2) forming a latent image electrostatically on such surface by selectively discharging areas on such surface, (3) developing the electrostatic image so formed with particles of toner, (4) transferring the toned image to a suitable substrate for fusing thereon to form a permanent record, and (5) cleaning by removing residual toner and/or other particles from the photoconductive surface in preparation for similarly producing another image.
The quality of the images produced by such apparatus depends significantly on the ability to clean the photoconductive surface before it is reused. Several types of cleaning mechanisms, including blade-type cleaners, have therefore been developed for cleaning the photoconductive and other image-bearing surfaces in such apparatus. The long-term effectiveness of any such cleaning mechanism, however, depends significantly on its ability to move and hold (away from the surface being cleaned) the toner and other particles it removes from such surface.
As electrostatographic process apparatus become more and more compact, and more and more competitive in their price and quality aspects, there is a need for simple and inexpensive cleaning mechanisms that can remove, move, and hold toner and other particles away from the image-bearing surface of such an apparatus. Without such a mechanism, residual toner particles being cleaned into a container will ordinarily accumulate in one portion of the container resulting in premature failure of the cleaning apparatus, and even in contamination and poor image quality.
Additionally, in electrostatographic apparatus of the type having an upper assembly portion that is movable pivotably relative to a lower assembly portion, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,803,511, issued Feb. 7, 1989, in the name of Izzo, there is a tendency of toner and other particles, being caused by the pivoting movement of the upper portion, to unevenly accumulate within the cleaning mechanism. Such uneven accumulation ordinarily can result in spills as well as in undesirable contamination within the apparatus. In this latter type of electrostatographic apparatus, there is the additional need to prevent such uneven accumulation.